Big-time Ben

Ben Roethlisberger, Miami of Ohio's gifted but relatively unheralded quarterback, has heard a variety of suggestions on how to raise his national profile. One fan recommended he refer to himself as B.Ro. The concessionaires at Miami's Yager Stadium thought it might help if they began selling a Roethlis Burger.

He nixed those and other ideas, mostly out of modesty but partly because he realizes he doesn't need such gimmicks. His name is well-known among NFL scouts, who generally agree that Roethlisberger, a junior, will be one of the first quarterbacks picked in whichever of the next two drafts he enters. Until then he'll make a name for himself with numbers like the ones he put up last Friday in a 56-21 win over Central Florida: 24 of 29 for 327 yards and five touchdowns. This season Roethlisberger has thrown for 3,670 yards and 29 touchdowns for the No. 14 RedHawks (11-1), who play Bowling Green in the MidAmerican Conference championship game on Thursday.

"I've started to get a little more media attention lately, which is nice because it allows me to give my teammates some of the recognition they deserve," says Roethlisberger.

The Miami media relations department has set up a website, WhereHaveYouBen.com, devoted to listing Roethlisberg-er's accomplishments and the words of praise he has received from opponents and draft mavens. At 6'5" and 242 pounds, Roethlisberger has the size and arm strength—as a freshman, he threw a 70-yard Hail Mary to beat Akron—to grab scouts' attention, and he's no plodder. He was agile enough to play point guard and shortstop at Findlay ( Ohio) High. He can even punt in a pinch. He did so 11 times last season, pinning opponents inside their 20 on nine of those kicks.

Roethlisberger, who was also recruited by Ohio State and Duke, didn't play quarterback until his senior year in high school. He was a wide receiver before then, and even now he and RedHawks coach Terry Hoeppner consider him something of a beginner. "He's played fewer than 50 games at quarterback," Hoeppner says. "Once he has more experience under his belt, there's no telling what he'll be capable of."

If he decides to make himself eligible for the draft, many NFL experts project him to be the second quarterback taken, after Eli Manning of Ole Miss. However, Roethlisberger steadfastly refuses to discuss his plans until after Miami's season. "I'm having too much fun right now to think about that," he says.

If Roethlisberger leaves, his linemen will certainly miss him, not only because of his talent but also because he treats them to pizza once a week. "I used to take them to a wings place, but there's nights they'd put away 300 wings," he says. "I know some pro quarterbacks buy their linemen Rolexes and things, but they were breaking the bank with all those wings."

Given the appetite the NFL has for big, talented quarterbacks, it probably won't be too much longer before Roethlisberger can afford to take his teammates out for all they can eat.

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